Means for regulating combustion.



' PATENT ED JUNE 21, 1904. J. M. W. KITCHEN. MEANS FOR REGULATING GOMBUSTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 18, 1901.

N0 MODEL. I

I INVENTOR Jase 9A JZ/lfiztckw.

ms ATTORNEYS i UNi'TED STATE-s Patented June PATENT @FF-IGE;

JOSE H M..W. KITCHEN, or EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR REGULATING comeus-r ou.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 762,913, dated J une 21, 190.4; v

Application filed December 18, 1901. Serial No. 86,366- (No model.)

To whom it may-concern: 4

' Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. W. KITCHEN, a citizen of the United States, residingin-East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Impro ements in Means for Regulating Combustion, of which the followingis a specification.

'My invention relates to heating or powerproducingapparatus; and it has for its purpose to regulate the processof combustion in such apparatus.

'1 More particularly, my invention has for its "purpose in its application to such, apparatus of the rate of combustion.

economy'in theuse of fuel and the regnla-' tion of the rapidity of and the equalization The emission of gaseous products of combustion from the heating apparatus and its attachments in the use of my invention is also prevented.

I willidescribe a fuel-consuming apparatus having my invention embodied therein, to-.

gether' with a modification of the same, and

then-point. out the novel features thereof in the claims. a In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of a heating apparatus having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail 3 view, partly in vertical section, showing interior features thereof. Fig. 3 is a view,

partly in vertical section, showing a modification of my invention. a

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in'all of the figures. A represents a heating or power-producing apparatus ofany suitable construction.

My invention can be used in connection with most of the forms of heating apparatuses or- :dinarily in use, but preferenceis' given to ence character a.

it represents a feed-door opening of the heating apparatus.

B represents a fiuc or conduit through which the smoke and gaseous products of combustion pass from the combustion-charhlmr to a chimney or smoke-stack C.

' D represents a horizontally-disposed inlet, which, in conjunction with a horizontally-disposed passage P,:provides a means for. the

introduction of fresh air for combustion into' the combustion charnber about where the products of combustion leavethe combustionchamber. tion of air into the combustion-chamber may The passage P for the introducdistinct passages, which passages are super imposed, the upper one being for the products of combustion and the lower one being tor air for combustion. I Thisdisposition secures a quick and easy flow of. air for combustion into the combustiomcham-ber through being in harmony with the naturally-induced horizontal stratificationyof gases under theforce of gravity and 'avoids friction due to a structural interposition of the partition into parts of the routes; traversed by the two currents,

which when the apparatus is in use are ofdifi'e'rent densities." The partition serves to keep separate the. two currents as well as to deflect the'air for combustion to the combastion-chamber. Continuous with the lower passage is-a verticallyarranged-conduit (I,

which will be,hereina ftcr referred 'to-as' the dependent conduit. in thisiformthepartition 01 extends. to or into the combustioni 'chamhen. v In all the forms of my invention the means; 9

providing for the introduction of air for combustion should communicate. with the coo bustion-chamber'at as high .a" level in its re lation; to the combustion' chamber as may-he l the top of the troduced through the grate.

practical in order that air for combustion may be thoroughly diffused through and mixed with thehot unconsumed gases at this high level and so as to secure the greatest production of heat at the highest level in the apparatus. Its introduction should be above feed-door line of the apparatus A. This high level is important on account of the tendency of hot gases to seek the highest level, and therefore enteringair for combustion when introduced at such a high level will have a better opportunity to'mix with these gases beforethe latter leave-the combustion-chamber. The high introduction of air thus provided for and a more perfect combustion of the unoxidized gasesat this high level secures a more intense heat at this high level, which is of advantage in heating and power-producing processes. This high intro 20.

. effect an admixture and duction of air also secures a longertime to diffusion of the gases air gravitates downward By introducing a large with the air as the to the fuel mass.

amount of the air for combustion above the fuel mass a much more complete combustionl of thefuel is effected than if most-of it is in- By introducing the air at a high point any s 'iecial structure providing for this introduction is measurably protected from injury from the intense heat offlamc infringement. By meeting. the outgoing-volatilized' gases just before they find their exit from the combustion chamber with the incoming air for combustion there is a.

better opportunity given forthe admixture of the two and their consequent igneous union: than if the air were introduced at a low levcl--a's, for instance, through the aperture v in the fO0(l-ClOOl'-ln which cases the lighthy- 'quantities of air,'and provi drocarbon gases float up and outward in ad vance of the air introduced; hencearc likely to' escape into the smoke-flue unconsumed. Another reason" for having the passage for aircommunic'ating with the com-bustion-chambcr at the highest practical level and adjacent the v combustion from the co nbustion-chambcr is that the passage will serve-to receive and convey to the dependent conduit (1 excessive productions ofgases,and when thegases enter this conduit they temporarily shut off the air for combustion.

The means providing for the introduction of air to the combustion-chaml)er should in all cases be of such size and proportions as to ad- 'mit of sufficient air for the combustion process.' In the preferred forms of my invention passage of large sion is also made for varying the quantity of air to be introduced. in some forms I employ an adjustable damper orval've d. This form of means is employed in the forms of invention shown in Figs. 1 andQ.- In other forms of inven-- tion ]vary the cross-sectional area of tliepasprovision is made for the "sage or conduit for air for combustion; so

I may, however,

' The partition d serves 6 is located cl'osely'adjacent neyC. The damper b when more or less closedalso tends to hold back in the upper part of the'combustion-chamber the hot combustible gases, and thus gains time for their:

for the better conveyance of the heat produced to the absorbing medium, r

The dependentconduit d has a" lower .-ver-' tical end which restsron the'floor at a point perpendicularly below that of'--its junction with the horizontal air-passage D and besides purpose. to act asa passage for air for combustion, as a temporary overflow-reservoir for excessive productions of smoke and gaseous products, and for the return of the smoke chamber through atmospheric pressure acting v upwardly in the dependent cond uit.' It serves" the function just stated principally when the damper 1) is obstructing the flue-B. The conduit is immediately open to tlie atmosphere at its lower vertical end ornear its lowermost part, but is impervious the balance of its length except at its uppermost end. In connection with the passage P the dependent conduit also'acts as a means for the automatic cutting off of the air forcombustion through the entrance therein .01 the gaseous products ofthe cool fresh air. It is obvious that when. the gas under more or less. "iressure enters the air-passage and dependent conduit'from the combustion 'chambcr the air therein 'is displaceddownward against thc force of at preventing airfor combustion entering the the rate of combus'tiom As the gaseous pressure decreases by linding vent past thcdam per b, which should always be :partly open,the gases are forced back by atmospheric pr'cssurcacting upwardly in the dependent con: duit and then further supplicsof ail-"for coin.- bustion find admission to the combustionchamberfP-lln practice such automatic action results inrsecuring equalization of rate of combustion aswell as cconomyof fuel through the burning of combustible gases in the combustion-chamber which would otherwise be lost, and also by of combustion and the downward replacement mospheric pressure acting upwardly,,thus

reducing temporarily the that no adjustable damperor valve is required provide an. adjustcombustion" toward the;

1n the performance of this func-.

the'inlet 1) between that inlet and the m- I admixture with air for their combustion and I i and gaseous products to the combustion-' loo combustion-chain])er, and therefore reducing 9 acting as a supportmgico'lu'mn 'hasfor ts,

combustion ot' solid -fuel. The dependent conduit in performing the functions stated prevents the'einission of gases and products of combustionfrom the apparatus. The size of the dependent conduit .may vary, as also its shape. It is ;,i isually disposed vertically; but it may be sinuous or otherwise shaped. It should belong enoughto contain asubstantially vertical column of air of suflicient length to counterbalance the gaseous pressure acting downwardly in it; but all angles or.

unnecessarylength of conduit are avoided to prevent friction of the air for combustion passing through it.

The'daniper d is usually placed in the upper part of the dependent conduit (Z or in that function of preventing downdraftsin-the'flue B passing beyond the, damper 6 toward the combustion-chamber and of keeping at a high level the current of products of combustion.

The stop 6* for the dampers b and d are 2 preferably so arranged as to prevent the dampers being turned in undesired directions. It is preferable always to have the damper 6 turned in such direction as to deflect .the gases and other products of combustion away from the bottom of the flue B and for the damper (Z to be turned so as to deflect air toward the combustion-chamber. The. steps conform to the inner contour of the flueB and dependent conduit (Z and prevent leakage ar und the peripheral edge of .the dampers. The damper 1.1 is preferably a solid daniperthat is, when it is in its closed position it completely closes thc'passage of the dependent conduit.

It will be observed from Figs. 2 and 3 that .'the means which provide for the introduction of air. deflects the air for combustion and facilitates'its quick flowage into the combustion-' chamber and also separates the two currents of air for combustion and the products of com bustion until the cavity ofthe combustionchamber is reached. a

In preferred forms of myinvention I provide auxiliary means to regulate the intensity of draft in'the chimney or smoke-stack. This may be and preferably is a second dependent; conduit D projected from the flue B at a" point near the chimney. The dependent conduit 1) contains a damper D".

ney draws more or less air through the dependent conduit l)". 'hen the damper D is shut, thc draft operates through the flue B. --In,some cases; the lower part ofthe flue 10f be operated. desired construction.

When this .damper is open, the natural draft inthe chim the chimney C, containing a damper 0, acts as a check-draft. Other forms of check-drafts may also be used for' this-purposer,

6 represents a handle which is applied to operate any damper; embodied in my invention. 6 represents a circular ratchet with which a handle b may coact. I The ratchet may also be provided withmarks or adial' which will indicate the internal positions of a damper to which the damper may be turned.

E, Fig. 1, represents a regulator which is operatedfrom the apparatus A. vThis regulator may be made to operate any or all of the dampers embodied in my invention. If this is to be done, a flexible medium I) may be extended from the controlling-lever dot the regulator E to the handle 5 of thedamperto The regulator E'may be of any.

In this case it acts automatically when the steam-pressure in the heating'apparatus is sufficiently high to re duce draft and admissionof air through its I connection with the several handles of the dampers involved in my invention.v The regulator E may also be made to operate the ashpit-door damper a 1,

In the modified formof my invention shown- .in Fig. 3, A represents a heater. a repredependent air-conduit; (i a damper; If, a

damper in the flue B (1 a chimney-flue;

0 the walls of the chimney. I) represents stops.

,0 represents a chimney-flue checkdraft, and d" represents air-ap0rturesin the dependent conduit (1 Having thus described my in ven'tion, the fol- Ice lowing is what I elaim as new:

1. In a heating'or power producing apparatus the combination of a combustion-chamber comprism g an exit forwaste gaseous products .and agas-retaining cavity impervious to the upward and lateral passage of gases except at .the exit for waste gaseous products of combustion, a conduit forconveying away said gaseous products, means located closely adjacent said combustion-chamber for introducing air for combustion into said chamber at a level below thelevel of tlieexit for waste gaseous products and at about where theproducts of combustion leave said chamber, means for de-j fleeting a vertically-rising currentof-air into avhorizontal current, means for the 'convcyance of said horizontal current to said chamher in a stratum or level below and entirely 2. Ina heating or power-producing apparatus thecombination of a combustionchamber comprising an exit for j waste gaseousproducts, 7 'ing a horizontally-disposedimpervious parti waste gaseous products a horizontally-disposed conof combustion,

- .duit for said waste gaseous products, an a1r-' inlet ad acent tion running from said air-inlet to said chamher for entirely separating outgoing gaseous 'combustionand disposed said air in a. stratum below the level traversed introduce products of combustion from ingoing airifor at a level to convey by the gaseous'productsof combustion passing through said exit into said conduit, and means 'nto said chamber.

3. In a heating or power-prod ueing apparatus, the combination of a combustion-chum her, a smoke-fluebmeans located closely adjacent said chamber 135;; conveying a horizontal gaseous products of combustion current of from said chamber to said flue,- means for controlling the passage of said products, means for the conveying and introduction of a horiz'ontal current of air for combustion into said separated from chamber at a level above the feed-door of said chamberat about. where the products of combustion leavesaid chamber, and means for keeping said roducts and said air entirely contact with each other outside of said chamber, saidfproducts being thereby conveyed in a stratum'jata levelabove the level traversed bysaid horizontal current ofair for combustion.

e 4. In a heating or power-prod ucing apparatus the combination of a combustion-chamber comprising a gas-retaining cavity above the feed-door level of said apparatus, a conduit.

for conveying away'the waste gaseous. prodnets from said chamber, means closely adjacent said combustion-chamber for conveying hot gases through the'higher'levelstof said conduit, means for controlling the passage-of said hot gases, means for the passage of a horizontally-moving current of air at alevel besaid-conduit intothe' said 56 lowthe level traversed by said products in chamber at a point about where the said waste prod ucts' leave said chamber, means for' entirely separating and keeping apart said air and-said products insaid conduit, said means for the passage of said Y currentofair comprisinga' horizontally-dis posed passage impervious-in its walls exceptan opening at one end communicating with said chamber andran air-inlet at the other end, and a vertically-disposed air-conduit 1' connecting with and opening intosfiid, paae at said:inlet and being open to the enough level to prevent emissions of gaseous products of "combustion ing ofs'aiddependent conduit, but being otha erwise, impervious in its walls{ I 5. In aheating or power.

to said chamber, means for the, d of. air for combustion in-sai'd;

said means comprise for the introduction of fifirfgulating the amounts of air thus level of said combustion -chamber' at I combustion.

atmos her low fromthei'lowest Opefi-J forgieflecti inlet to J higher levels rea ses reae s comprising a gas-retaining cavity above thefeed door ofsaidapparatus, a passage for confrpm said chamber and means for controlling ucting waste gaseous products of combustion v 1 tus, the combination of a combustion chamber the'passage of said gaseous products, an air- 1 passage for receiving unvitiated air for combustion from alevel below thelevel of/the feed-door of said apparatus and for conveying the said air vertically upward, means 'for defleeting said air into, a horizontally-moving current,- means for conveying said air ina horizontal current at Ya level below the level traversed by said gaseous products and -en-- tirely separated from said gaseous v products said air into the st l er about where the said waste gaseous products leave said chamber, and means for c'o'ntrolling the amount of air thus introduced.

6; In a heating or power-producing apparatus, the combination ofa combustion-chamher, a smokeconduit communicating therewith, a horizontally-disposed air-inlet in the lower part of said conduit located closely adjacent to said chamber, an' impervious partition in said conduit extending from said inlet to said chamber and disposed to form two horizontal passages in said conduit, one of the passages being for the conveyance of air for combustion into said chamber in-a horizontal current at a level below said partition, the other passage, superimposed above the first named, being for the conveyance of waste gaseous products of combustion at a levelabove said partition, and means for controlling the passage of air for combustion and waste gaseous products of combustion through said passages.

7, In a heating or power-producing apparatus the combination of a combustion-chamber, a smoke-flue, means located closely adjacent said chamber and connecting said chamber and said fine and comprising a horizontally-disposed air-inlet and a horizontally-disposd impervious partition running from said air-inlet to said chamber for. receiving and deflecting a vertically-moving induced current'of air for combustion into a horizontally-moving current, means for the conveyance of said air into said chamber ata level below said partition, gaseous products of combustion through said smoke-flue in astratum superimposed above 1 15 means for retaining the passage of waste said horizontally-moving air-current, fand means for the control ii -measurable amounts of said air and said waste gaseous products of- 8. In a heating or power producing appara I tus, combination of 1a combustion chamher, a smoke-flue, a chimney, a horizontally dlsposedtair-inlet located at the lowest level eompri'sin a horizontally-disposed partition and conveying'said air from said of said chamber in or sa g if e and close to said chamber, means a eurrentflor stratum entirely separated from which the apparatus rests, but being imperand traversing a level below the level of the vious at its walls at other of its parts exceptcurrent of outgoing.waste'gases in said flue, at the point of connection with said inlet.

v means for" the retention of both currents in 12. In a heating or power-producing appa- 5 the relative positions here stated and for preratus, the combinationof a combustion-cham- 70 ventingthrough .-utilization ,of the force of her comprising at a level above the feed-door gravity the emission of gaseous products of of said apparatus a gas-retaining and gas-mixcombustion from said apparatus through said ing cavity impervious at .its walls to the upinl et, means for controlling and measuring the ward and lateral passage of gases except at i no amount of air introduced through said inlet, an opening for the exit of waste gaseous prod- 75 said means for conveying-air introducing said ucts of combustion, a conduit for conveying air into said, chamber' at about the place of away said waste gaseous products, an air-inexit of vastegasesof'combustion'from said let adjacent said opening in said chamber, chamber into saidfsmolre-flue, and means near means comprising a partition extending from said chimney and between said inlet and said said air-inlet, to said chamber for deflecting o chimney for varying the draft of said chimair entering said inlet and for keeping the ney. said air separated from waste gaseous prod- S). 'lhe-combination of a heating or powernets and for conducting said air into said comproducing apparatuscomprising an automatic bustion-chamber at about the'point where the regulator, a smoke-conduit, an air-inlet in the waste gaseous'products of combustion leave 85 lowest part of said conduitlocated closely adsaid chamber,means for controlling the air jaccnt to the combustion-chamber of said apthus, introduced and for controlling the waste paratus, a dependent air {conduit connected gaseous products in said conduit, and meanswith said air-inlet, means for controlling the for preventing the emission ofgaseous prodpassage of air through said dependent conduit, nets of combustion downwardly through said 90 means for controlling the passage of gases in air-inlet against the force of atmospheric said smoke-conduit, an impervious partition pressure acting upwardly through said inlet. running from said inlet to said chamber for 13. In a heating or power-producing appakeeping separate the currents of air for comratus, the combination of a comlmstioh-cham- 3o bustion and'waste gaseous products of comber'comprising a gas, mixing and retaining 95 bastion traversing said smoke-conduit, a chim' cavity located above the level of the feed-door ney communicating with the smoke-conduit, of said apparatus and being impervious to the a check-draft for said chimney andmeans for upward'andlateral passage of gases throughcontroliing air passing therethrough, and its walls at levels above said door except at an 3 5 means connecting said regulatorwith the said exit for waste gaseous products of combustion, I00

controlling means for connnunicating motion said exit for gaseouswaste products,a snickei'rom'said regulator to said controlling means. flue, a structure interposed between said exit 10. Incombination with acombustion-chamand said flue comprising an air-inlet located ber, a smoke-flue therefor, a damperin said closely adjacent said exit and an inn'iervious 4o smoke-flue, a partition-wall in the lower part partition extending from said inlet to said 1 5 of saidsmoke-flue and adjacent said damper chamber for deflecting air for combustion and for preventingdowndrafts, and means for infor conveying said air to said chamber and troducing air for combustion into the comfor keeping said air scparatet'rom waste gase-, bustion-chamber about where the products of ous products passing from said exit to said combustion iind their exit from the combusline, said structure being arranged-to convey 110 tionchamber in a currentseparated from the said air from said'inlet to and into said'cham current of products of combustion traversing bcr ina stratum or current below'the level said smoke-flue. traversed by said waste gaseous products 11. In a heating or power-producing appathrough said exit, and means for controlling.

5o ratus, the combination of a combustion-cham-' the passage of waste gaseous productsand of I 15 her, a smoke-conduit communicating with said air for combustion passing through said struccbamber, a horizontally-disposed air-inlet in tore. i v i I A said conduit, a partition extending from the 14; din a heating or power-producing appasaid air-inlet tosaid chamber, said conduit rates, the combination of acombustion-chamand said partition forming two horizontally,- ber having a gas-r taining domeor cavity in 120 disposed passages, the lower of said passages its upper part anr above the feed-door oi" the being for air for combustion and the other-at apparatus, a smoke-flue exit, means for-introa higher level being for waste gaseous prod dueing-unvitiated air for combustion directly nets of combustion. and a dependent conduit 'into-thchigher levelsof said combustion-chamextending from said inlet for air, said de be? .aid means comprising an air-inlet and a 2 pendent conduit having a vertical disposition partition running from said inlet to said cham at its lowest-part and l.)eingimmediately open loci at a level lower than said'smokeeiiucexit to the entrance of air for combustion at a forflcflccting air for combustion and for keepx point between the level of the feed-door of ingi said air separated from the waste gaseous 5 the apparatus and the level of the floor on productsof combustion until said air is intro- 3 v for the introduction of said air into said chamduced into said chamber, said means allowing her at about whe're the said waste gaseous products leavethe chamber, said means also comprising a vertical air-conduit impervious at its walls except at an upper opening connecting with said air-inlet and except an opening for the free inflow of air at a level between .the feed-door level and the level of the floor and at a point about vertically below said air-inlet, and means for controlling the amount of air passing through said inlet and of waste gaseous products passing through said smoke-flue exit.

15. In combination with the combustionchamberv of a heating or power-producing apparatus, a conduit for conveying away waste gaseous products from said chamber, an airinlet in said conduit located close to said chamber, a dependent air-conduit connected with said air-inlet and directly open to the atmosphere at its lower end, an impervious partition running from said inlet to said chamber,

means for controlling the flow of air through said inlet and by deflection quickening the flow, and means in addition to said partition for conveying said air to said chamber in a current entirely separated from said waste gaseous products, said dependent conduit and said combustion-chamber being constructed with impervious walls and disposed vto retain within their cavities through atmospheric .for separately products'except at the exit provided for the pressure acting upwardlytherein hot gaseous waste gaseous products of combustion. 35

,16. The combination of a combustion-chamber comprising a gas-retaining cavity above the level of the feed-door of said combustionchamber, a chimney, a conduit for waste gase ous products of combustion, an air-inlet close to said combustion-chamber, an air-passage running from said inlet to said combustion chamber constructed to entirely prevent contact of the air passing therethrough with the gaseous products insaid conduit, a dependent conduitimpervious at its side walls, communicating with said passage and connecting there with atsaid inlet and having an opening for the admission otair at its. lower end and at a level low enough to prevent hot gases escaping from said lower end, a damper to control the air passing through said inlet, a damper *for controlling the waste gaseous products of 

